Construction crews may be closer to beginning work on a student housing project on the site of the old Riverside Furniture factory. Developers are hoping the modern-designed apartment facility for Arkansas Tech University students will hopefully begin to rise soon, but there are a still few specific details that must be sifted through first.

The land deal for the student housing project may be nearing a resolution for the site at the old Riverside location at North Phoenix Avenue and Parkway Drive. The project reportedly will involve a multi-story apartment complex geared toward ATU students, which might include retail stores on the ground floor of the buildings, if a zoning ordinance can be created in Russellville for the retail portion of the project.

Realtor Greg Hall of Coldwell Banker James R. Ford and Associates said Friday the parties are actively involved with finalizing the land purchase and have nearly reached an agreement. He said the contract is in the final stages.

“We’re going to close in the next few weeks. I am not sure about the timeline for construction,” he said. “We had originally planned to start building last November.” Hall said if all goes well, the project could be completed by as early as next Christmas. The details of the resolution are sealed at the moment, but in a few days the required number of signatures needed to finish paperwork will be obtained.

“This is the most positive I’ve been since last May,” said Hall. “We have been working tirelessly to ensure we are in compliance with the city’s plan.”

It’s simply a matter of time, Hall said. There are portions of the agreement that all parties must approve. Until those transactions take place, the specifics of the resolution must remain secret. He said the storefront portion of the project is still in question as well, and it was not part of the preliminary plan.

“This is not a simple project, but the time and effort put into it will be well worth it,” Hall added.